Bibbulmun Track - Mount Cooke

Bibbulmun Track - Mount Cooke is a 20.4 kilometer lightly trafficked out and back trail located in the state of Western Australia, Australia that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round.

backpacking

camping

hiking

nature trips

bird watching

forest

views

wild flowers

rocky

no dogs

This is one of a series of eight day walks on the Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia. The Bibbulmun Track is one of the world's great long distance walk trails, stretching 1000km from Kalamunda on the outskirts of Perth, to the historic town of Albany on the south coast.
This walk starts at Sullivan Rock, just over an hour's drive south of Perth. The Track leading toward Mt Cooke is generally relatively flat. It crosses a broad and interesting creek system and passes through stands of sheoak, banksia and jarrah. After reaching Mt Cooke campsite the Track ascends to the summit of Mt Cooke, the highest point in the Darling Range, at 582 metres. The strenuous climb is rewarded with spectacular views.
The Bibbulmun Track offers a wide range of experiences, from a gentle stroll to enjoy the peace and beauty of the natural environment, to an epic eight week adventure camping out at the 49 campsites and enjoying the hospitality of nine communities along the way. Those that walk every step of the way can be registered as end-to-enders.

Sullivan Road Car Access

Park on the western side of Albany Highway, 9km south of Jarrahdale Road. The walk up Sullivan Rock starts on the opposite side of the road. Please take extra care when crossing the road as this is a major highway. Follow the signs to the Bibbulmun Track (about 750m from the highway).

The kit bridge used on this crossing is one of many used to be more robust from destruction during a wildfire.

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Trees and wildflowers

On this day walk you may encounter the species listed below.
Zamia palm (Zamia reidlei): A trunkless shrub with large palm-like leaves endemic to Western Australia. The nuts from the palm have been successfully utilised as food by indigenous Australians, however eaten raw by European explorers incurred poisoning
Bull banksia (Banksia grandis) is a common tree of the jarrah forest understorey. It has handsome dark green, shiny foliage radiating around its huge golden yellow flower cones, which appear from December to March. The enormous leathery leaves are deeply divided into numerous large triangular lobes. The flowers were known as mangyt, pulgarla or bool-gal-la by indigenous people and were steeped in water or sucked to obtain nectar.
Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) is the most common tree of the northern Bibbulmun Track. It is best recognised by the bark, which has deep, vertical grooves and the gumnuts, which are 1cm across. Jarrah usually forms forest or woodland on gravelly soils, but sometimes also on sand or loam.
The balga or grass tree (Xanthorrhoea preissii) has a green tuft of long spiky leaves, sometimes with a short trunk. Small, creamy white flowers are borne on a long spike. The Nyoongar people used the resin as a glue and the spike for fish spears. Bardi grubs were collected from the trunks of dying trees, and they could tell whether they were present in large numbers by looking at the tree and reading the signs of decay.
Purple flag (Patersonia occidentalis) is a tall, flowering grass species with smooth, strappy green leaves to 40cm long and purple flowers between September and January.
Cowslip orchid (Caladenia flava) has up to four flowers between July and December. The single, long, broad leaf is green on top and purple-tinged beneath.
Purple enamel orchid (Elythranthera brunonis) has up to three shiny purple flowers, spotted reddish-purple underneath, which often fade to pink with age, with an approximate size of 3-4cm. The flowers appear between August and October.
Common donkey orchid (Diuris longifolia ) is a robust orchid with large yellow and brown flowers and tapered leaves 15 - 20 cm long. It flowers between July and November.
Blue lady orchid (Thelymitra crinita) has two to 15 pale to brilliant blue flowers along a central stalk and a broad oval leaf. It flowers between September and November.

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Mt Cooke Group Campsite

This campsite is designed for group use. There is a water tank, toilet and an undercover area but no sleeping shelter. The group campsite is around 700 meters north of the original Mt Cooke campsite and is visible from the Track.

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Mt Cooke Campsite

The original shelter at Mount Cooke was built in autumn 1997 by volunteers from Dames and Moore Group, with funding from a Regional Development Grant, but was destroyed in the 2003 Mt Cooke fire along with Nerang campsite to the south.
The new shelter was built by volunteers from the WA Rogaining Association in 2004 at the new location. Remains of the water tank that was attached to the original shelter can still be seen at the old location some 50m away from the new shelter toward Mt Cooke. The design is 'Deep South' and sleeps 12-15 people.

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Boot Cleaning Station

Boot cleaning stations are provided to ensure that when leaving diseased areas bushwalkers do not carry the Dieback pathogen into uninfested areas. PLEASE BE SURE TO CLEAN YOUR BOOTS AND WALKING STICKS.
Dieback and Disease Risk Areas
Dieback is a plant disease caused by the root rot pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi, which thrives in moist soil water. The fungus attacks the roots of plants, and they die because they can no longer effectively absorb water.
Without disturbance the fungus can spread only slowly. If transported in mud or soil clinging to vehicles, horses' hooves, bike wheels or the boots of bushwalkers it can spread relatively rapidly. Due to constant impact on the ground and contact with twigs, leaves, rocks and roots walkers' boots remain relatively clean, so the risk of spread is dramatically diminished.

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Mount Cooke northern side

Ascend through rocks and butter gums with views north-west and south-west. You will soon reach the Mt Cooke ridge featuring massive jumbles of granite boulders.

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Mount Cooke summit

Mt Cooke summit is the highest point of the Darling Range. The granite is over four billion years old, making the area one of the oldest exposed granite surfaces in the world. The massive rock boulders are evidence of India tearing away from Australia about 100 million years ago. There is no view from the summit.

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Mount Cooke eastern view

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Mount Cooke western view

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Ornate crevice dragon

The ornate crevice dragon (Ctenophorus ornatus) can be seen head-bobbing and arm-waving on exposed granite slabs. Males are dark brown to black and the females grey to pale brown. Males also have a black chest plate that they flash to attract females when head bobbing.

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Cave

This cave has been used by walkers past, use it at your own risk.

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Southern side of Mount Cooke

The southern face of Mt Cooke is both elevated and at the mercy of wind erosion. The plants that inhabit this area have evolved to take advantage of the small pockets of soil, whether they be around boulder jumbles or cracks in the granite slab. Please don't disturb the soil or remove any rocks. Please remember to Leave No Trace.

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It's about 1.5 hours from Perth by car - take Albany Highway from Armadale to Sullivan Rock picnic area (9km south of the Jarrahdale Rd turnoff).
Facilities: Take all your food and water supplies for the day. There's a toilet at Mt Cooke campsite. There's also a water tank but day walkers should take their own supply and leave the tank water supply for long-distance walkers.
Trail markers: The Track, for walkers only, is signposted with yellow triangular markers symbolising the Waugal, the rainbow serpent of the Aboriginal Dreaming. Follow the direction of the point.
When to go: The best times to walk the Track are in autumn (April to May), winter (June to August) and during the WA wildflower season (August to mid-October).
Track conditions: For up to date Track conditions see http://dpaw.wa.gov.au/parks/alerts-and-updates/bibbulmun-track
Tread lightly and Leave No Trace: Keep the Track beautiful, follow the Leave No Trace principles. For information see lnt.org.au
Bush safety - know before you go:
- Always carry a map and know how to use it.
- Tell someone at home and leave your itinerary with them in case of an emergency.
- Supply to survive:
* Carry sufficient water and food for the duration of your trip.
* Ensure you are wearing appropriate clothing and footwear.
* Carry a first aid kit and know basic first aid.
- Be aware of the weather, Western Australia experiences extreme weather, check the forecasts before you go.
- Know your limits. Ensure you are fit enough for this walk.
For trip planning advice see bibbulmuntrack.org.au
Emergency information: It is recommended that you do not walk on days of very high, extreme or severe fire danger.
In the unlikely event you are threatened by bushfire:
- Use the map to locate the nearest road away from the direction of the fire. If it is safe walk quickly towards the road. Do not run, fire rarely travels more than walking pace in the forest.
- Move across the slope and out of the path of the fire, do not go uphill unless you are certain a safe refuge is there.
- Seek refuge and try to stay on bare or burned ground.
- Shield yourself from radiant heat by using large rocks, logs, culverts, running streams or dirt as a barrier.
- Breathe air close to the ground.
If you are lost:
- Stop. Remain calm and stay together.
- Use the map to review your route.
- Look at surrounding features such as tracks, streams, roads or contours and try to identify them on your map.
- Retrace your route until you find a marker.
- If you are still lost consider the need for warmth, shelter and water.
In the event of accident, injury or illness:
Remain calm and stay on the trail, it will be easier to locate you.

Great hike around and over Mt. Cooke in a loop.Full loop Distance 11kmModerate to Easy - but caution on the open Granite rock face if WET is very SLIPPERY Parked cars on gravel road close to base, then walked northerly direction back along the same gravel road that we drove in on and then further around the base to the Bibulmun Track Hut, then followed then Bibulmun Track up and over Mt Cooke and down along the Bibulmun Track to the gravel road to the parked cars.